رگتایم را نخوانده ام همچنین بیلی بت‌گیت را. در واقع پیش‌روی اولین تجربه داکترو خوانی من است. کتاب را دوست داشتم هرچند قدری مکانیکی است و شخصیت ها همه یک‌اندازه جاندار و خوب از کار درنیامده اند. موفقیت داکترو این است که توانسته اصلی ترین شخصیت رمانش را خوب و قابل باور بسازد. این اصلی ترین شخصیت نه پرل دختر دورگه سیاه‌پوست است نه عاشق اش استیون والش، نه دختر قاضی تامپسن است نه ویل و آرلی سربازهای فراری و نه حتی ژنرال شرمن افسانه‌ای . شخصیت اصلی، خود پیش‌روی است، حرکت ارتش اتحادیه به سمت سرزمینهای جنوب که به‌قول داکترو مثل داسی بنیان آن چه را از فرهنگ و تمدن است خوب و بد با هم می‌کند و از بین می‌برد. این پیش‌روی مثل موجودی زنده است. پیکره ای واحد که اندام هایش را در مرغزارها کشتزارها و جنگلها پراکنده، برای خودش سلسله اعصابی دارد و مغزی متفکر که همان ژنرال شرمن استراتژیست بزرگ ارتش کت‌ابی ها باشد. اما شرمن هم بنظر می‌اید که بر اندام این جانور شصت‌هزار نفری انطور که باید تسلط و فرمانروایی ندارد. بازوها بسیاری مواقع از اختیار خارج می‌شوند، هرج و مرج و نافرمانی حاکم می‌شود، مزارع و خانه ها سوزانده می‌شود، غارت‌ها صورت می‌گیرد و مردم قربانی خشونت و تجاوزی عنان گسیخته می‌شوند. این جنگ است و گریزی نیست. یکسو قانون غیرانسانی برده داری قرار دارد و سوی دیگر جنگی مرگبار که بسیاری را به کام مرگ می فرستد. بعد از تجربه جنگهای اخیر امریکا با عراق و افغانستان و در آستانه جنگ محتمل با سوریه که همچنان آرمانهای متعالی اخلاقی و بشری را به عنوان بهانه بر پیشانی دارد عجیب نیست که روشنفکری چون داکترو رو به داستانی درباره جنگهای داخلی بیاورد و ترسها و تردیدهای اخلاقی و سوالاتش را در قالب آن مطرح کند. داکترو به تناوب از اندام های این موجود (پیش‌روی) به مغز و از مغز به اعصاب و دوباره به اندام‌ها حرکت می‌کند و داستانک هایی از هر بخش و قسمت تعریف می‌کند. بعضی از این داستانک‌ها با مرگ نابهنگام شخصیتها درخلال نبردها ناقص و ناتمام می‌مانند و هرگز به نتیجه نمی‌رسند. این خاصیت جنگ است که انسانها را به قصه های ناتمام تبدیل می‌کند.
The March- E L DoctorwIt seems as though in Goodreads reviews, I spend much of the time confessing my ignorance on various topics and countries - I console myself by thinking - isn’t that why we read? Therefore, being almost entirely ignorant of the American Civil war, I had little or no knowledge of the events of this novel and am still not entirely sure which were real and which were simply literary license. Perhaps a little of both, either way, Doctorow, as with ‘Billy Bathgate’ and ‘Ragtime’ has created a world that is eloquently written and completely enthralling. As he describes the events of the latter years of the civil war and primarily the ‘March’ of the Union army through the rebellious secessionist Southern states, we are privy to the thoughts of not only General Sherman himself but to freed slaves, an ex-pat Union army doctor, rebel soldiers, criminals and speculators, Southern belles and Northern politicians; even Lincoln himself makes a brief but noteworthy appearances. The freed Pearl stands out as the only character who is there from the beginning to the end of the novel. Often an obnoxious child, everyone seems to love her despite this, yet as the novel progresses the war makes her mature and her love for Stephen becomes her saving grace. As a character, Pearl appears to personify one of the many blurred antonyms that run through the novel, North and South, young and old, good and bad, black and white. As a white negro she stands apart from both the white and black worlds’ belonging to neither yet as she realizes this is undeniable she is also that at least now she has the freedom to make her own choices whatever their outcomes may be. The other characters in the novel are all interesting in small ways even if some of them feature only briefly. Several appear in a few chapters and then disappear while some like Elizabeth, who is one of the primary characters at the beginning of the novel, simply disappear about half way through. This is perhaps to illustrate how so many people were displaced and lost in this war as in all wars. The marching army itself is permanently displaced in its role as a moving city and the only home its members know, their lives being only as secure as the ground on which they lay their heads at night. The scenes of battle are few yet poignant but what the novel prefers to focus on is the taking and ravaging of towns as the army sweeps through ‘foraging’ and taking what they want and destroying the rest. Doctorow manages to convey the experiences both of those who lose everything as well as the soldiers who are not always simply following orders. Arly is one of these soldiers who, along with his friend Will, constantly switches costume and identity if not allegiance and who as the novel progresses adopts new roles with greater exuberance every time. Again, this notion of fluid identity is made apparent as Doctorow makes clear that in war the line between friend and enemy, between the righteous and the evil is not as clear cut as we would like to think.
What do You think about The March (2006)?
Although it is not an overly lengthy novel, Doctorow paints a very wide palette. It may be too wide. His cast of characters is broad, including the mandatory historical personalities. Most prominent among these is William Tecumsah Sherman (“Uncle Billy” to his troops), of the eponymous March. Pearl is a white skinned black, a slave fathered by her master. If there is a central character here, I suppose it is her, but not by a large measure. Arly is a petty criminal, who along with his partner, i
—Will Byrnes
Der amerikanische Bürgerkrieg geht in sein 4. Jahr und William Tecumseh Sherman, General der Unionstruppen, beginnt nach der Eroberung Atlantas den langen Marsch durch Georgia, South und North Carolina. "Der Marsch" beschreibt dieses Unternehmen ohne direkte Hauptpersonen. Ineinander verwobene Handlungstränge und die unterschiedlichsten Charaktere zeigen die ganze Grausamkeit dieses ersten "modernen" Krieges. Soldaten die für ihre Ideale kämpfen oder auch solche, die nur 300-$-Ersatzmänner waren, Deserteure, Zivilisten und befreite Sklaven, Offiziere, Ärzte und natürlich Sherman selber sind die Protagonisten dieses Buches. Es gelingt Doctorow die jeweiligen Handlungen zu beschreiben und auch das jeweilige Selbstverständnis der Handelnden offen zu legen. So muß Sherman die befreiten Sklaven loswerden, da sie seinen weiteren Vormrsch behindern und diese wiederum müssen erkennen, daß sie zwar frei sind, aber sie keiner haben will. Dieses Buch beschreibt eine Phase des Krieges, die gewollt oder ungewollt noch lange das Verhältnis zwischen dem Norden und dem Süden belasten soll. Ein empfehlenswertes Buch.
—Baseni
I kind of feel about this book the way I felt about the movie "The Departed". It certainly had the look and feel of a Scorsese movie, but without the heart; like he was going through the motions. This has the feel of a Doctorow book, it is historical fiction with real characters interspersed with imaginary ones, but it was vaguely unsatisfying. Stylistically he still creates an effective vehicle, and I read it from beginning to end fairly quickly; but very little in it either created real emotion or captured my complete interest. It is set in during Sherman's march to the sea during the Civil War, as seen through the eyes of dozens of charcters from North and South, both black and white, including General Sherman, the real (and total idiot) calvaryman General Kilpatrick, a former slave named Pearl, an Army surgeon and a half dozen others. He portrays the dirt, confusion and blood of war convincingly; but the charcters are too many and too thinly drawn to capture our interest. There is also too little context or back story for us to really care about what is happening to most of them (Pearl is perhaps the exception). There are moments where you feel like you are witnessing history (the burning of Columbia comes to mind), but it is not enough for me to fully recommend. This book is mostly of interest to civil war buffs, and for those craving the real Doctorow, re-read Ragtime . . .
—Mark
